Testimonials

An outstanding experience — an immersion in the best wines and cuisine of the region.  

Brick & Mortar Every (great) trip has a balanced ratio of bricks and mortar. Bricks are the hard stops. The firm plans. Places to be, things to see at specific times. Mortar plays a supporting role. It’s the flexible space betwixt the bricks that binds and turns them into a cohesive, useful, beautiful, original structure. As a master mason, Butch knows how to design and oversee construction and ensure the right ratio of bricks (exciting, clear plans with goals and timelines) and mortar (time off to just “wander, explore & play”). We experienced an artful blend of the two PLUS we had a Great Team. ALL our travel companions were delightful to be with. Over many years Butch has carefully curated an “enthusiastic away team”, on the other side of the pond, that joyfully shares their culture and traditions with us Yanks who can have an unfortunate (cultural) tendency to think “we got it all going on”. When we are open to new cultures, traditions, and ideas we quickly learn that isn’t the case and, in fact, they’re the ones who got it all going on. Butch’s away team is a critical component to the success of the entire experience. The last component of the trip is the man himself. With his name and likeness on the sign, he is fully immersed in his role as a cultural, culinary mountain guide who maintains his natural affection and enthusiasm for the places he has already visited. His eyes still sparkle at each stop and he takes great satisfaction seeing the same in the eyes of his clients who, by the end of the week, become his friends. I would recommend Butch and one of his trips to anyone with an open mind and true passion to experience and understand new cultures and cuisines. Go thirsty, go hungry, go wholeheartedly, courageously, be fully engaged, be humble and curious and be prepared to learn about others, their culture, and yourself.

Our tour with Butch was an unforgettable experience, exploring places we would never have known about on our own. I appreciated that we had the opportunity to explore a variety of areas, from large cities to remote mountain villages to the coast. We’ve done plenty of wine tastings before, but never have I rode with the family in their vehicles up into the mountains between the vines and enjoyed their wines outside with a gorgeous view, all while learning about their process and how it has evolved over the years. I also learned that pretty much everything tastes amazing in Spain, even foods I didn’t think I liked! Who knew fresh goat cheese with vermouth is an amazing flavor combo!? We ended up making new friends along the way and feel so fortunate to have had this wonderful travel opportunity, Hoping to try another tour down the road…. Thanks, Butch!

If you’ve been considering booking one of Butch’s trips, just do it! You will be so glad that you did. The quality of the experiences and events was top-notch. Butch has carefully curated such a wide variety of truly interesting, relevant and hands-on experiences. He has connections and relationships with locals that he has developed and nurtured over the years, and as guests, we are able to enjoy the fruit of these relationships. We would never have been able to find or experience these things on our own. I have always been the primary trip planner and had never taken a guided trip before this one- what a luxury it was to have the perfect trip planned for us! We can’t wait to go on another trip with Butch!

I would like to help Butch improve his trips to Portugal but it is hard to imagine a better experience. This was our first tour with Butch but, I hope to be on many more. We could not have planned the itinerary as well or had the group experiences (dinners, a great guide in Porto, good travel companions, etc. without him.)

Our trip to Spain with Butch was a memorable one. We expected to drink great wines and eat awesome food, but the experiences and activities that he organized, and we participated in were the greatest pleasure. Thanks for the well-thought-out itinerary and once-in-a-lifetime pleasures!

This was the second trip that my husband and I have taken with Butch’s Culinary Wine Tours, so we have visited Catalonia and Portugal. We felt that each of these destinations was unique and fabulous. One of the best things about traveling with Butch is that wherever you go, the winemakers are waiting for you with open arms, because they love Butch! He makes sure that you have the best guides and the best experiences! He makes sure each guest on the tour knows that he is taking care of every detail! Never hesitate to travel with Butch!

Burgundy exemplifies the best of a culinary/wine tour.  To visit and taste the wines from some of the world’s most famous wine villages was simply incredible.   Every single dining experience throughout the tour was memorable – from the Michelin-starred restaurants to the quaint bistros.  And to enjoy the food and wine in the bucolic countryside and chateaus from the Middle Ages is truly special.  Butch is a master host and attends to every detail to ensure that each guest has an outstanding experience.  

Piedmont was my fourth adventure with Butch and every bit as spectacular as the others. An unexpected, and favorite, experience was visiting the family-owned and lovingly operated Morgana Del Re hazelnut farm where we met the family, the namesake horse Morgana, learned all about hazelnuts, and then sampled them in many forms!

Great tour! I highly recommend it!